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Inflation crisis wipes out 16 years of pay growth
FTSE 100 edges higher after inflation data
Ben Marlow: Our out-of-touch water watchdog is drowning in denial
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Inflation has surged into double digits for the first time in 40 years, piling more pressure on households as they brace for another jump in energy bills.
The consumer price index rose by more than expected to hit 10.1pc last month, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. That's up from 9.4pc in June and marks the highest level of inflation for more than four decades.
Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy costs, hit 6.2pc. The retail price index, which is used for pricing some public services including train fares, rose to 12.3pc.
Meanwhile, the producer price index soared to 17.1pc - its highest since 1977 - in a sign of further inflationary pain to come.
The figures suggest there will be no let-up for British families battling the cost-of-living crisis, with the Bank of England warning that inflation will peak above 13pc later this year.
Food prices were the biggest driver of inflation in July. It comes after figures released by Kantar yesterday showed annual grocery bills will rise by £533 this year as food prices increase at the fastest rate since the financial crisis.
Another sharp increase in the energy price cap is also expected to plunge the UK into a year-long recession and spark the biggest fall in living standards since records began in 1963.
The latest inflation figures will fuel speculation of further sharp interest rate rises after the Bank raised rates to 1.75pc earlier this month. That was its sixth consecutive increase and the biggest in 27 years.
Hundreds of thousands of UK households ditch Amazon Prime
IYCMI - Almost 600,000 British households cancelled their Amazon Prime subscriptions ahead of a price rise as the cost of living crisis hits streaming companies.
Ben Woods has more:
Read Ben's full story here
Germany will run out of gas in three months if Putin turns off taps
Germany may be racing to fill up its gas reserves, but the country will still struggle to get through the winter.
Even if Germany can meet its target of filling its inventories to 95pc by November, that would only last for about 2.5 months, the president of the country's energy regulator said.
Klaus Mueller, president of the Federal Network Agency, told Bloomberg: "We are a little bit faster than what we used to be in terms of filling up storage, but it is not a sign we can relax...
"I cannot promise you that all storage facilities in Germany will be 95pc full in November, even under good supply and demand conditions. In the best-case scenario, three-quarters of them will meet the target."
Stockpiles are currently 77pc full, which is two weeks ahead of schedule. However, Germany's energy crisis looks set to deepen and the Government has warned of rationing over winter.
Manchester United shares surge after Elon Musk takeover 'joke'
Elon Musk is at it again.
The Tesla billionaire, who's known for his reckless tweets, announced on Twitter last night that he was buying Manchester United. He let 4.5 hours pass before clarifying it was a joke.
Shares in the football club surged as much as 17pc in pre-market trading, before paring gains to trade around 3pc higher.
Read more: Elon Musk says he was 'joking' about buying Manchester United from the Glazers
Interest rates may need to hit 4pc, says Andrew Sentance
The Bank of England may need to more than double interest rates by the end of this year to get inflation under control, a former MPC member has said.
Andrew Sentance, who served at the Bank during the last financial crisis, said rates may need to rise to 3pc or even 4pc because policymakers have "fallen behind the curve".
He told BBC Radio 4: "The Bank of England has been quite slow in responding and is clearly behind the curve in trying to get on top of this surge in inflation.
"They don't have an easy job at the moment, but they do have tools at their disposal, particularly interest rates, and they've been rather slow in moving them upwards."
The comments were echoed by Stuart Rose, chairman of Asda and former boss of M&S. He took aim at the Government for failing to act immediately and criticised the two leadership contenders for focusing on tax cuts.
"Inflation is pernicious. It erodes wealth," he said. "I want to look after those people who cannot afford to take the hit, and we know who they are.
"I don't think you can grow your way out of inflation. You need to kill inflation first. Of course you need to sew the seeds of growth. But you can't do both."
Cineworld shares plummet as it warns shareholders face dilution
Cineworld shares have nosedived this morning after the company said it's considering rescue deals that could dilute shareholder value.
The cinema chain said it's in discussions to secure additional funding and potentially restructure its balance sheet. It warned the measure was likely to result in "very significant dilution" of existing equity interests.
Shares in Cineworld plunged as much as 42pc to a record low.
Meanwhile, the struggling cinema group also said audience numbers had been weaker than expected and warned they would stay low until November due to "limited" film releases.
The debt-laden company, which also owns the Picturehouse chain, had been pinning its hopes on films including Top Gun: Maverick and The Batman, but said recent admissions had been lower than expected.
FTSE risers and fallers
The FTSE 100 has edged higher this morning after new figures showed inflation surged by more than expected into double figures.
The blue-chip index rose 0.1pc in early trading, propped up by banking stocks.
Lloyds gained 0.8pc, while Barclays was up 0.9pc as traders increased their bets on aggressive interest rate rises by the Bank of England.
The domestically-focused FTSE 250 was also up 0.1pc. Cruise operator Carnival jumped more than 6pc after it said booking activity nearly doubled pre-pandemic levels following an easing of Covid testing rules.
Ladbrokes owner handed record fine over gambling failures
Away from inflation gloom, the owner of Ladbrokes has been handed a record fine for failing to meet gambling standards.
Entain, which also owns Coral, was hit with a £17m penalty from the Gambling Commission due to "serious failures" in social responsibility and anti-money laundering.
Andrew Rhodes, chief executive of the regulator, said that further serious breaches of the rules would make the remove of Entain's licence "a very real possibility".
It's the second time the company has been fined. Ladbrokes and Coral were fined £5.9m before being taken over by GVC, which was renamed Entain in 2020.
A spokesman for the gambling group said: "Entain has entered into the regulatory settlement with the Commission in order to bring the matter to a close and avoid further costly and protracted legal proceedings."
Which prices are rising fastest?
The latest stats show inflation has set in across the economy, with a broad range of goods and services suffering from higher prices.
Szu Ping Chan breaks down the products that have seen the biggest price rises, as well as those that have go cheaper:
Reaction: Income squeeze will be difficult to ignore
Hussain Mehdi at HSBC Asset Management says more support for households is needed, but this still won't avert a recession.
FTSE 100 opens higher after inflation data
The FTSE 100 has shrugged off the latest inflation figures to push higher at the open.
The blue-chip index ticked up 0.1pc to 7,544 points.
Chancellor: I understand times are tough
Here's what Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has to say about the latest inflation figures:
Reaction: Policymakers stuck between rock and hard place
Mike Bell at JP Morgan Asset Management warns the continued wage growth poses a dilemma for policymakers.
Reaction: Not all bad news
FX analyst Viraj Patel chimes in with some much-needed optimism, pointing out that it's not all bad news in the latest numbers.
He says that prices in some categories actually fell month on month, but still contributed to annual inflation due to comparisons against last year, when the UK was emerging from lockdown.
PwC: Things are going to get a lot worse
Kien Tan, director of retail strategy at PwC, warns the strain on household budgets is only set to get worse.
Reaction: BoE will stay in hawkish mode
Ruth Gregory, senior UK economist at Capital Economics, says the hotter-than-expected inflation figures are likely to prompt another big interest rate rise.
Pound rises after inflation surge
Sterling has pushed higher against the dollar after the sky-high inflation figures fuelled expectations of further interest rate rises.
The higher-than-expected consumer price index figure will pile pressure on the Bank of England to act aggressively. Earlier this month it raised rates to 1.75pc in the first half-point increase since 1995.
Traders are now betting that the Bank will double rates to 3.5pc by March.
The pound rose as much as 0.3pc against the dollar to $1.2113. Against the euro it was up 0.1pc at 83.93p.
Core inflation keeps rising
Aside from the headline figure, another worrying sign for the Bank of England is the continued rise in core inflation.
This measure strips out volatile food and energy costs, so gives an indication of how price rises are setting in across the wider economy.
Core CPI rose 0.6pc in July to an annual rate of 6.2pc. With food the main driving force behind inflation last month, it's clear the price pressures have become embedded.
Pressure mounts on Bank of England
The higher-than-expected inflation figure will add more pressure on the Bank of England to keep raising interest rates to keep a lid on price rises, writes my colleague Szu Ping Chan.
ONS: Price rises wide-ranging
Grant Fitzner, ONS chief economist, said:
Food drives prices higher in July
Once again, surging energy bills are one of the main driving forces behind surging inflation.
But the data shows food was the biggest factor behind the jump in prices in July as Brits were forced to splash out more on their supermarket shop.
The largest movements came from bread and cereals (0.06 percentage points), milk, cheese and eggs (0.05 percentage points), and vegetables (including tubers), meat, sugar, jam, honey, syrup, chocolate and confectionary, which each contributed 0.04 percentage points to the change in the annual rate.
Inflation surges by more than expected
The numbers are in and they're even worse than expected.
Inflation has soared into double figures, with the consumer price index hitting 10.1pc in July. That's more severe than the 9.8pc economists had been predicting.
Inflation hits fresh 40-year high
We start the day with another set of eye-watering inflation figures highlighting the escalating cost-of-living crisis.
The consumer price index rose to 10.1pc in July - up from 9.4pc the previous month and the highest in four decades, according to the ONS.
Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy costs, hit 6.2pc. The retail price, which is used for pricing some public services including train fares, rose to 12.3pc.
The numbers highlight the strain on British families, with inflation forecast to surge above 13pc later in the year after another jump in energy bills.
The Bank of England has also warned that the UK will be plunged into a deep recession, with households facing the biggest fall in living standards on record.
5 things to start your day
1) Hundreds of thousands of UK households ditch Amazon Prime Cost of living crisis hits streaming companies hard, according to Ofcom report
2) Chaos in corporate Britain as wages crash despite record job vacancies Companies consider one-off bonuses in fight for talent as inflation eclipses pay rises
3) World's biggest airline orders 30 'son of Concorde' supersonic jets Boom planes are predicted to fly from London to New York in three and a half hours by 2030
4) Aldi to overtake Morrisons as UK's fourth largest supermarket Cost of living crisis forces shoppers to switch grocery shops
5) Russian gas exports slump by a third in blow to Putin Gazprom could be forced to close gas fields as it struggles to divert supplies to China
What happened overnight
Tokyo stocks opened higher this morning, with the benchmark Nikkei 225 index up 0.4pc in early trade and the broader Topix index climbing 0.5pc.
Hong Kong shares started with healthy gains following a positive lead from Wall Street. The Hang Seng Index added 0.8pc.
While the Shanghai Composite Index inched up 0.1pc and the Shenzhen Composite Index on China's second exchange also rose 0.1pc.
Coming up today
Corporate: Balfour Beatty, Essentra, Persimmon (interims)
Economics: Inflation (UK), central bank decision (New Zealand), retail sales, Fed minutes (US)


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THE ROYAL COAST AS A POST-PANDEMIC ‘HOME AWAY FROM HOME’
What will happen in the wake of the pandemic when people begin to look again at investing in luxury residential properties? As the fight against Covid-19 continues, changes in buyers’ behaviour over the past 12 months have already begun to reshape the luxury real estate market with new trends emerging in the luxury residential market, as the pandemic has prompted changes in lifestyle.
Encouraged by the need for social distancing and the rise of remote working, an increasing number of people living and working in major cities now split their time between home and ‘away’ – a long stay in a holiday destination or a second home.
The trend towards purchasing second homes reflects this shift. According to Knight Frank’s Global Buyer Survey – undertaken in June 2020 across 44 countries – over 26 per cent of respondents said they were more likely to buy a second home as a result of the pandemic.
The pandemic has also underscored the importance of nature and space, wellness and well-being, and quality time spent with family.
Within the luxury segment in Asia, we are seeing a trend towards multi-generational real estate purchases – with pooled investment being made in residences that can be used by grandparents, parents and children, as well as preference for landed and single-family homes – where outdoor space abounds, privacy is a given and living spaces can be customised to fit the needs of a large or growing family.
With border restrictions confining the majority of travellers to domestic destinations, many have taken the opportunity to discover lesser-known, off-the-beaten-path destinations. We are also seeing a move away from “big box” travel and towards a “boutique” holiday experience, with an increasing number of travellers seeking a more personalised experience during their stay.
Within this context, opportunities for the Royal Coast Region to become the preferred destination abound. As travel from Bangkok becomes less arduous, a second home in the region becomes an obvious choice for a ‘home away from home’. Apart from the ease of access, a family-oriented destination with natural attractions but with all the infrastructure to provide every lifestyle choice is on offer.
What is now required is a marketing plan for both Thailand and the wider world that sets the scene and reveals the real advantages that the Royal Coast offers.

domain: news


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Y K Koo, MD of Hyundai India, said that new technologies, especially the clean-fuel drivetrains, require government support as well as consumer subsidies to gain traction.
“I don’t want to make profit from the sale of electric cars… But what kind of a support is the government giving us to bring the zero emission technology?” Koo told TOI, while expressing reservations on a move by the heavy industries ministry to remove the subsidy that consumers get when purchasing an electric vehicle.
The government currently gives a cash subsidy of up to Rs 1.3 lakh on purchase of an electric car as part of clean-energy programme called ‘FAME’ (Faster Adoption & Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles). However, the ministry has now proposed to take away these benefits in the second phase of FAME that is likely to be rolled out towards the end of the year.
Koo said such moves will harm the interest of having more cleaner vehicles. Hyundai plans to launch its Kona electric SUV in India next year, and this is likely to cost Rs 20-25 lakh.
Koo said that while the SUV will be assembled here, the company can look at introducing electric versions of more models — including some of the large-selling mass cars — if there is healthy demand. The company can even manufacture them at its plant in Chennai.
“But we need government support. The government can reduce the GST on electric cars from the existing 12 per cent to around 5 per cent, while also rewarding technologies that are more efficient. Also, the import duty for critical components for electrics should be reduced. Please remember, this is an investment for the future.”


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What do video games and cardboard have in common? Besides the packaging games come in, basically nothing.
But Nintendo intends to change that on April 20 when it releases Labo, a new gaming system that asks kids to assemble (or create their own) mini-games by combining cardboard cutouts with the company’s handheld, modular Switch console.
Nintendo calls these mini-game creations “Toy-Cons,” and they come in bare-bones kits like the “Toy-Con 01 Variety Kit,” which costs $69.99 and includes:
- Two colored pieces of string
- Four plastic gaskets
- A variety of yellow stickers for marking Toy-Cons
- Two small pieces of sandpaper
- 28 pieces of perforated, decorated cardboard
- 15 rubber bands of two sizes
With these low-tech features, kids can make a remote-control car, fishing rod, house, motorbike, and a playable piano—all without using glue or a scissor.
Another, slightly more expensive ($79.99) kit comes with cardboard cutouts that assemble to make a robot suit that kids can wear to “become a robot in the game.”
Nintendo has long been, arguably, the most innovative gaming platform, especially in terms of games for young people. While Playstation and Xbox often offer the best in terms of high-definition realism and online multiplayer games, Nintendo has focused more on how players interact with games.
The company’s Wii console, which in 2006 changed the course of gaming with its wireless infrared controllers and bobble-head avatars, has sold more than 100 million units to date. And the Nintendo Switch, a handheld yet high-definition console, got off to a similar start in 2017, becoming the company’s fastest-selling console in the months after its release.
Labo might follow suit, partially because the do-it-yourself system is getting a lot of attention for its potential to get kids interested in STEM-related fields. For example, Labo comes with an easy-to-use programming platform called Toy-Con Garage that kids can use to make their own mini-games or Rube Goldberg-machine like creations.
Educational or simply entertaining, Nintendo Switch Director and Labo Producer Kouichi Kawamoto said his team had a straightforward goal when designing the system.
“Truthfully, our highest priority was to make something interesting and fun. We wanted to make an experience that helped people see that discovering how things work is fun in-and-of itself, and that making things is rewarding.”


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News and Articles About Domino's
The pizza company's revenues were boosted by strong results overseas and here in the U.S.
Animal rights activists released a graphic video showing workers whipping, kicking and punching cows at a farm responsible for the cheese at Domino's, Pizza Hut and Papa John's.
Domino's ad for Specialty Chicken features a reference to a failed cookie pizza just as Pizza Hut rolled out a cookie pizza of its own.
Forget agriculture -- these chickens need some Viagra-culture.
X plus Y equals fast-food mega sales? From Doritos Locos Tacos to the Pizza Cake, bizarre food concoctions are appearing on menus across the nation.
Can fast food get faster? McDonald's is trying to speed up with tech, testing a new order-ahead and payment app in Georgia.
A computer-generated voice tool named Dom will enable users to customize their pies and also browse local menus and coupon offers.
Today, Domino's debuted breakfast pizza in Australia. However, at least one U.S. franchisee has been selling breakfast slices for years.
NPC International's net income dropped 77 percent in the first quarter. And it blames Pizza Hut's lack of digital innovation.
Hello, lobster and prosciutto. A new report finds that bold flavor mashups can help pizzerias boost sales.
With a new chicken dish that can be topped like a pizza, Domino's joins the ranks of restaurants that are winging it with chicken.
If 2014 is the year fast-food pizza dies, Sbarro may be the first victim. According to reports, the chain is preparing to file for bankruptcy.
As Chipotle prepares to offer mobile payment, we take a look at six of the best mobile apps in the restaurant business.
Domino's and Pizza Hut are attempting to compete with fast-casual rookies by upping quality and revamping design.
Shane Snow used his journalism background to found an online platform connecting writers and corporate clients. In the process, he's learned how good, old fashioned storytelling can boost branding.
From YouTube gross-outs to hashtag horror stories, check out these six PR nightmares at U.S. franchises.
New York City's Department of Health created a new website to compare nutritional data for 66 chain restaurants. Heres six of the sites most surprising reveals.
If you're a big brand looking to get bigger, having a cool mobile app is one way to get customers talking. Here are six chains that are doing it right.
Forget football. Sales of America's favorite food will skyrocket on Super Bowl Sunday. That's good news for these pizza franchises.
If you find yourself taking your local Subway for granted, Franchise Appreciation Day offers an opportunity to show your support.
From McDonald's to Subway, see how franchises have changed with the times.
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Auto Dealer expects used automotive values to rise in early 2023 after remaining flat within the historically weak festive buying and selling interval.
Values decreased by a median of simply 0.1% on a like-for-like between November and December to go away the common worth of a used automotive on the web used automotive market up 3.4% year-on-year at £18,066.
Auto Dealer mentioned that the steadiness of traditionally excessive values had been underlined by the sector’s continued defiance of pre-COVID depreciation traits, which had seen declines throughout the identical interval of 0.2% in 2019, 0.9% in 2018, and 0.5% in 2017 and 2016 respectively.
Values that have been up a document 30.5% year-on-year in December 2021 stay 45% up on pre-pandemic December 2019, in accordance with Auto Dealer’s knowledge and an announcement from the enterprise mentioned it was probably that values would as soon as once more “start to rise within the New 12 months”.
Its director of information and insights, Richard Walker, mentioned: “From a political and financial perspective, 2022 may be outlined as one in every of change and instability. However while transactions and demand have softened on the document ranges we noticed in the beginning of the yr, used automotive costs, and the market extra broadly, have remained steady, which suggests we’re getting into the brand new yr with momentum behind us.
“All through this yr, the market has been pushed by the degrees of provide, greater than demand.
“We’ve persistently seen on our market, that the place there’s inventory there’s been sturdy shopper urge for food. With neither a crash in demand or a surge in supply in sight, we imagine this dynamic will proceed into the brand new yr and can assist preserve costs steady.”
Costs have remained steady regardless of the financial backdrop as a result of ongoing demand and provide dynamics available in the market.
The development is mirrored within the least and most depreciating vehicles analysed by Auto Dealer.
Cap HPI director of valuations Derren Martin lately revealed that used electric vehicles (EV) were seeing the sector’s biggest value declines as a consequence of a extra plentiful provide of recent automotive registrations.
It was a development underlined by Auto Dealer because it raised concerns that the electric vehicle (EV) market was faltering final week.
Inexpensive hatchbacks emerged as essentially the most in-demand vehicles in Auto Dealer’s newest knowledge.
Little question influenced by the cost-of-living disaster, the sub-£6,000 Ford Fusion, Fiat Punto, Skoda Roomster, Peugeot 107 and Vauxhall Agila have been the UK’s least depreciating vehicles.
The excessive worth Mercedes-Benz GL SUV was essentially the most depreciating automotive, in the meantime.
Total, Auto Dealer mentioned that demand for used vehicles would stay strong, with circa 500,000 of individuals ready for a driving check, the disruption to public transport and the mixed 5 million new and used automotive gross sales misplaced for the reason that begin of the pandemic all taking part in an element.
Advert views on the platform stay up 7% on the identical interval in 2019, regardless of obtainable inventory being 12% decrease, it added.


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Fun cars in Europe are getting more and more expensive. Not only have manufacturers increased prices in recent years, but the governments of some countries have introduced new or higher taxes. France is no exception, and the Toyota GR Yaris is a brutal example of this.
Prices for the updated Yaris with rally genes and a 6-speed manual gearbox start at €46,300 in our neighbouring country. Quite a lot of money, to be honest. But the big bill is yet to come, because as a customer you end up paying double what the manufacturer actually charges.
Gallery: 2024 Toyota GR Yaris
Why? Well, that's not the main problem. Customers pay twice as much when they put the three-cylinder pocket rocket in their garage. And why? Because the turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine emits a wasteful 190 grams of CO2 per kilometre according to the WLTP standard.
And with these emission values, France is asking you to pay a penalty tax. Although this is staggered, it has been drastically increased since 2024. You don't have to pay anything up to 117 g/km. 118 g/km costs €50, 119 g/km is €75. At 140 g/km, €983 are already due, at 160 kg/km €4,279. The French government will charge €22,380 for 180 g/km and the 190 g/km of the GR Yaris will cost an incredible €45,990.
So if you are now interested in a Toyota GR Yaris and you ignorantly have to buy and register the car in France, you will have to pay a total of at least €92,290 according to Adam Riese. At least? Yes ... It could be even worse. Namely, if you are interested in the GR Yaris with automatic transmission. The model with eight gears has a base price of €48,800 but emits 210 g/km. And then the maximum rate of penalty tax is due, which is a ridiculous €60,000 from 194 g/km. How much? €108,800.
Toyota France is nevertheless relatively optimistic about the popularity of the GR Yaris. The company has reserved 300 vehicles for the local market.


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Lava seems to be gearing up to launch yet another smartphone in India, which should be the Lava X3. We now know the price, design as well as price range of the smartphone. On the other hand, SWOTT has launched a new audio product in India called the Neckon 102 which is a neckband claiming to offer 30 hours of usage on a single charge.
Lava X3 Specifications, Design, Price, Availability
The design and specs of the upcoming Lava X3 have come to light, from Mukul Sharma. As per him, the Lava X3 will sport a 6.5-inch IPS display with an HD+ resolution. There will be a waterdrop notch on the top and a thick chin at the bottom of the display.
The smartphone has a pill-shaped camera module and a conventional fingerprint scanner at the back. The upcoming offering will include 8MP AI dual rear cameras and a 5MP selfie snapper.
The Lava X3 will reportedly be powered by a MediaTek Helio processor clocked at 2GHz. It will pack 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage. The device is tipped to be backed by a 4,000mAh battery unit. It is set to ship with Android 12 OS out of the box. The smartphone will have a USB-C port and a 3.5mm Headphone jack.
The device will be offered in Luster Green, Arctic Blue, and Charcoal Black colours. Another tipster named Anvin revealed that the Lava X3 will be an affordable phone and cost around Rs 7,000 in India. As for the availability details, the microsite for the Lava X3 is already live on Amazon, giving us a confirmation about the exclusive availability of the device on the platform.
SWOTT Neckon 102 Neckband Price, Features
SWOTT has debuted its Neckon 102 in India, which is priced at Rs 899 and offered in Black and Grey colours. It is available for purchase from Amazon and the brand’s official website.
The Neckon 102 features a silicon neckband and earbuds with silicon ear tips. The Neckon 102 is the first neckband-style earphone in the market to feature touch sensor controls. The buds also have a magnetic attachment. There are no physical keys for controlling music playback and the sensor buttons have LED lights that vibrate when touched.
The SWOTT Neckon 102 has a 10mm driver and environmental noise cancellation (ENC) for clear quality on calls. It offers a 45ms low Latency mode for an enhanced gaming experience. The earphones support Google Assistant and Siri.
The SWOTT Neckon 102 features Bluetooth 5.0 and can connect two devices simultaneously. The device is claimed to deliver 30 hours of usage and an 8-minute charge is said to offer 8 hours of playtime.


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Vietnam’s garment industry sees steady growth despite pandemic
HANOI (Vietnam News/Asia News Network): Despite the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam’s textile and garment industry has seen steady growth, registering export revenue of $8.84 billion in the first quarter of 2022 with an increase of 22.5% compared to the same period last year.
In many industries, especially labor-intensive ones like the textile and apparel industry, labor shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic have had a direct impact on the production and business activities of garment manufacturers.
Trần Tường Anh, deputy general manager of Hòa Thọ Textile and Garment JSC, said at the beginning of March this year that 1,719 employees of his company had tested positive for Covid-19, which represents 15% of the total number of employees of the company.
Having a large number of employees to be absent from work, the company encountered many difficulties in arranging its production plans.
In addition, after returning to work, their health remained poor and they could not do daily work, resulting in low labor productivity.
Therefore, the company must negotiate with customers to reschedule delivery times, rearrange production plans, and prioritize urgent orders first.
Employees who previously worked indirectly are now directly involved in production. The company also set up different workplaces and a canteen for those who tested positive for Covid-19 to work once health authorities approve it, Tường Anh said.
The Garment 10 Corporation has branches in many provinces and cities. During the pandemic, the company maintained production as many workers tested positive for Covid-19, said Bạch Thăng Long, deputy director of the company.
Meanwhile, 8-3 Textile Co. Ltd. was struggling with labor shortages made worse by the crash of new Covid cases forcing many people into self-isolation. However, the company’s board has been flexible in changing shifts and rotating workers to ensure production and business operations.
Over the past two years, especially during the fourth wave of the pandemic, apparel companies have always faced difficulties due to the disruption of the global supply chain, leading to the temporary closure of many companies. .
Hoàng Văn Linh, president of Aligro JSC, said the fabrics were based on the seasons. Therefore, her company prioritized clothing orders and had enough raw materials.
To cope with the uncertainty during the pandemic, the company decided to guarantee the social and welfare interests of employees so that they feel safe at work, Linh said.
A representative of Hòa Thọ Textile and Garment JSC said workers were required to leave work immediately for treatment if they were infected with Covid-19.
After recovering from illness and returning to work, employees received financial assistance and meals for two weeks.
To address labor shortages due to isolation, the company has also been flexible in changing shifts and rotating work to ensure stable production.
Vietnam has shifted its strategy from a Zero Covid policy to safe and flexible adaptation and effective control of the Covid-19 pandemic while recovering and developing the economy.
Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group’s textile and garment makers received orders through the end of the third quarter and the whole year, thanks to their flexible responses during a pandemic and robust responses from relevant agencies.
The industry is expected to thrive and generate $43 billion in exports this year.
Manufacturers must seize opportunities and work with partners to exploit the growth potential of the global textile and apparel market.


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We found the future, guys! And it’s in our own Design District! If you want to see some digital magic, come check out the Dallas Design District’s latest business, 3D Desktop Labs. We were absolutely blown away by not only what you can make out of 3D printing, but by the incredible forms of art that can be created with 3D technology.
The company recently moved to 1107 Dragon Street, and CEO Kevin Page’s business offers business-class, full-color and white powder 3D printing services for individuals, companies and organizations throughout DFW. But the location also hosts an art gallery that shows off the amazing mediums that can be created using 3D printing technology.
On Monday, July 27 at 1:00 pm, the MakerBot CEO will be at 3D Desktop Labs to give a presentation on the future of the 3D printing industry, which is looking pretty bright. While in the past, 3D printing was outrageously expensive, it is now much more accessible, easy-to-use and inexpensive
From the presentation’s summary: 3D Printing is going to shake up the way we think, design, invent, manufacture and interact with the world of physical things.
Really guys. This is a really neat business to hit our neighborhood and only contributes to the DDD’s artistic, future-thinking vibe!


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Businesses are calling for Brexit to be delayed to avoid the nightmare scenario of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union on March 29 without a divorce deal that protects trade.
“Many of the businesses we’re speaking to are praying for an extension,” said James Stewart, head of Brexit at KPMG. “At this stage even our most informed clients feel as if anything could happen.”
UK lawmakers have rejected the exit deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May and EU officials. Parliament will vote Tuesday on amendments that would give lawmakers more control over Brexit, but there’s no guarantee that will break the deadlock. And there’s little sign that EU leaders will reopen negotiations.
Given the rapidly-approaching deadline and the severe economic consequences that would result from crashing out of the bloc without an agreement, a delay to Brexit has become more acceptable to business.
Business lobby groups had been clamoring for clarity on the terms of the divorce and Britain’s future trading relationship with the European Union. But their focus has shifted in recent weeks to preventing a disorderly separation at all costs. The European Union would have to agree to a UK request for a delay.
The cost of crashing out
The companies said they are stockpiling goods where possible, but “all frozen and chilled storage is already being used and there is very little general warehousing space available.” They warned of a “devastating impact” on UK farmers.
Airbus (EADSF) said last week that it would be forced to redirect future investment if Britain crashes out of the European Union. And Ford (F) said that a ‘no-deal’ Brexit would cost it $800 million in 2019.
The British Chambers of Commerce sums up input from its members this way: A disorderly Brexit, they warn, would be “a disaster for the UK economy, for businesses and for individual livelihoods.”
Crashing out of the European Union would result in new costs and trade barriers for companies in Britain. Snarled supply chains would put manufacturing companies in an especially difficult position.
Mark Essex, the director of public policy at KPMG, said that “unknown unknowns” could cause the biggest problems for companies.
“Supermarkets are thinking about where will their bread and bananas come from, but what they may not be thinking about is where will the spare part for their fridge come from if it breaks,” he said. “What if it’s stuck in Germany?”
According to the Federation of Small Businesses, 41% of companies believe that a chaotic Brexit would have an impact on their business but haven’t yet started planning for the possibility.
The costs of delay
While it may be an appealing option for business, delaying Brexit could come with its own costs.
Companies large and small have complained since the referendum in June 2016 that uncertainty over future trade rules had caused them to delay investment. And a delay means more uncertainty.
According to data published by the Office for National Statistics, business investment in the United Kingdom fell for three consecutive quarters between last January and September, the longest decline since the global financial crisis.
Banks and other financial companies have already shifted at least £800 billion ($1 trillion) worth of assets out of the country and into the European Union because of Brexit, according to EY.


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AT&T and Sprint are not the only carriers adding an additional Galaxy S 5 color. It is now said that Verizon will be adding the Galaxy S 5 in Electric Blue to its lineup. Big Red already offers the Charcoal Black and Shimmer White colors, as do most other carriers, but some have held off on the other offerings.
Are you interested in the Galaxy S 5 in Electric Blue?
Source: @evleaks (Twitter)
Two carriers in the United States are preparing to add a new color to their Galaxy S 5 offering. Both AT&T and Sprint are going to add the Copper Gold version of this year’s Samsung flagship. Above you can see just how the device will look. Only thing different here is obviously the color. The front, which you can see after the break, also remains the same.
Are we looking at the Moto X+1 or some other Motorola device? The image above was obtained by @evleaks thanks to a tip and shows an alleged Motorola handset roaming around in Chicago (where the company is based). The user is seemingly running stock Android and Google+ is the app running here.
The description for the device’s display was 5 inches or more. If more, there is a chance this is that 6.3-inch Motorola device. But right now, all signs point to the Moto X+1 having the company’s focus. Motorola used last summer to launch the Moto X, and they are doing the same this year.
Source: @evleaks (Official site)
The longer it takes for HTC to announce the One (M8) Ace, the more leaks that will surface. However, this one could render all others useless. What seems to be promotional material for the device to be put on a website has leaked. We’re looking at a device very similar to the HTC One (M8), but there are of course some differences.
On the outside, HTC kept the Boomsound stereo speakers. The construction of the One (M8) Ace, though, is a plastic unibody rather than aluminum. On the inside is, again, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz. Since HTC did not include Duo Camera system, the back camera has been bumped up to 13MP. The front facing camera remains 5MP.
The HTC One (M8) Ace is expected to be announced on June and be available in red, white, blue, and black.
Via: G 4 Games
Asus will be at Computex 2014 next week, so they’ve released a short teaser video to build up some hype for whatever it is that they’ll be announcing. The short clip is simply someone writing out “The Next Incredible Thing” on a piece of paper, and the G at the end of the sentence disappears at the end of the video. So, whatever Asus has planned, it’s going to be incredible, it’s going to be a thing, and it’s also going to be thin. Awesome.
We’ve seen a few Asus leaks recently, including some new ZenFone models, so it’s hard to tell exactly what thin device Asus is excited about. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait too much longer to find out. If you’re interested, you can check out the short video below. Read more
Rumors and leaks suggested Oppo will be adding a “mini” version of its N1 flagship to its lineup, and that information has now been confirmed via Weibo for a May 30 announcement.
Oppo hasn’t said anything on the specs front, but here’s what we know based on previously leaked information:
Asus’ ZenFone line, which includes the ZenFone 4, 5 and 6 could add on two new devices pretty soon — the ZenFone 5 LTE and the ZenFone DIY.
Chinese site VR-Zone reported that the ZenFone 5 LTE will not only support LTE but also wireless charging, a Qualcomm SoC, a 5-inch, 720 x 1,280 pixel display and 2GB RAM.
Compared to what we’ve seen from the upcoming Moto 360 smartwatch, most other wearable devices have looked pretty underwhelming, namely the LG G Watch, which is going to be made out of plastic, and as previous rumors suggest, won’t have top-line specs.
But new information suggests we could be in for quite a surprise with the G Watch. Hit the break for more.
Lenovo is prepping its next flagship, the Vibe Z2 Pro, and held an internal event last week. Lucky for us, someone at the event snapped a few photos of the device to give the world a preview. The leaks have been circulating on China’s social media site, Sina Weibo.
So, what are we looking at in terms of specs? Hit the break to find out.
The new Galaxy Tab S tablets will be announced on June 12, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get information on the devices beforehand. The Galaxy Tab S 8.4 (SM-T700, WiFi) has appeared online in an AnTuTu benchmark test.
Here’s what the test results revealed: a 2500 x 1600 AMOLED display, octa-core Exynos 5420 processor and Mali-T628 graphics, 3GB RAM, 8MP rear shooter, 2.1MP front camera, 32GB internal storage and Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
More details to come on the new Tab S series, so stay tuned.


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Meeting with Mr. Yusuf Dönmez, Director of Agrotar Tarim, Hortiland’s exclusive distributor for Turkey at DeruNed b.v. company in Bleiswijk the Netherlands.
Hortiland has been DeruNed’s exclusive distributor of their natural crop Protection products in South East Europe for over a decade now. Products such as Alsa and Savitan have proven to protect the crops very effectively against pathogens, such as thrips spp. and nematodes, by strengthening plants’ natural resistance against those pests.
Agrotar has been succesful with the introduction of Savitan in Turkey over the past 4 years, and is set to add more of DeruNed’s products to their portfolio.


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Apple has had a history of not being the most transparent company in the world especially when it comes to the security architecture of their iOS devices. It looks like Apple is trying to embrace a more open nature however, as CNET reported yesterday that the fruit company published a detailed document solely on the security of iOS.
This guide outlines various encryption techniques, data protection features and the general security architecture of iOS. And with the guide being over 20 pages it is very much so the most comprehensive overview of iOS security we have seen released by Apple.
If you get the chance to browse through this guide you will notice there is a definite emphasis on security for the enterprise sector. With Apple also recently releasing a new webpage dedicated to the iPhone in business it is obvious they are further trying to push the fact that the iOS remains a clear choice for professionals.
You can check out Apple’s details PDF iOS security guide by clicking here. Do you think Apple is trying to take a more open approach? What do you think about iOS security? Share your responses and further thoughts in the comments section.


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The year was 2013 and Nicole Camacho and Reina Hohener were about to become inseparable. They just didn’t know it yet.
Both worked at the now-shuttered Coterie clothing store, sandwiched between the Griffin and Beauty Bar Downtown. After the East Fremont venture closed, Camacho bought a trailer and transformed it into a mobile clothing and jewelry boutique.
“From Day One the community supported it,” Camacho says. From renovating the trailer to helping with the electrical wiring and even acquiring funding, getting Burnt Boutique off the ground was a Vegas-wide effort.
At Life Is Beautiful’s 2016 edition, Camacho and Hohener found a kindred spirit in the Bunkhouse Saloon, where they set up shop just outside the festival’s footprint. The Burnt Boutique has called the Bunkhouse lawn home ever since.
“They’re so good to us,” Camacho says of the Downtown bar and music venue. “All the bartenders shop here,” Hohener says. “It’s almost like we work there.”
They kind of do. Casually referred to as the “Burnt Babes,” Camacho and Hohener landed a Monday-night gig at the Bunkhouse, taking over the saloon for Burnt Karaoke every week.
“Karaoke is my therapy,” says Camacho, who attended karaoke at the Bunkhouse long before she and Hohener began hosting their night there. “It was our girl time,” Hohener adds.
Now, Burnt Karaoke has a regular crowd, which turns up to sing with the Burnt babes weekly. Some nights, folks are still singing when the sun comes up.
“I think we’ve been doing it a whole year, bro!” Hohener exclaims, almost jumping from her seated position on the counter inside the Burnt Boutique trailer.
But that year hasn’t been without setbacks. In June, someone broke into the trailer, forcing the shop to close temporarily. The store has “hibernated” most of the winter, allowing the duo to focus on running karaoke.
Hohener and Camacho have an ever-growing list of songs they love to sing—Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita” is definitely one of them—and they have some tips if you’re new to the stage. “Have fun and be nice,” Hohener says. “Even if it sucks, people will respect you more because you f*cking stuck to it and tried.”
That chill vibe reflects the Burnt Babes’ original ethos. “We were burnt out on doing things everyone else’s way,” Camacho says of how they got their name. So they carved out their own path instead, and built a lasting friendship in the process.
“I mean,” Hohener says, “We’re basically soul sisters.”
BURNT KARAOKE Mondays, 10 p.m., free. Bunkhouse Saloon, 702-982-1764.


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Motor Press Guild (MPG), a North American automotive media association with nearly 800 members, today announced the all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS as the winner of the guild's Vehicle of the Year (VOTY) Award. MPG President Laura Burstein will present the award at Cadillac's press conference on the second day of the Los Angeles Auto Show press days on Nov. 29, 2012.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS was one of six finalists chosen by a panel of MPG members who test and review cars on a regular basis. The final vehicles were evaluated and ranked by all voting journalists and analyst members at MPG's annual Track Day event in October. Vehicles were rated in the categories of safety, quality, value, performance/handling, design/style, environmental/green impact and technology/innovation. In addition, journalists were encouraged to consider models that reflect the unique style of Southern California.
"In many ways, the ATS is a breakthrough vehicle for Cadillac," said Ms. Burstein. "Not only is it smaller and leaner than other Cadillacs on the market, it's the first American luxury car that truly goes head-to-head with compact luxury sport sedans from well-known European and Asian brands. Our members remarked that the ATS is capable on both the street and the track, offers a well-made and attractive interior, is replete with the latest technology and - perhaps most importantly - is fun to drive."
Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac Marketing, said, "The ATS is the result of an extensive, all new, ground-up mission to deliver a segment-winning vehicle. That makes it especially rewarding when our efforts are recognized and awarded by a large and influential panel of automotive experts."
To be eligible for the Motor Press Guild Vehicle of the Year award, models must be all-new or substantially changed from the previous year and available at dealerships on or before Jan. 1, 2013.
Other 2012 VOTY finalists (in alphabetical order) are:
2013 Ford Fusion
2013 Honda Accord
2013 Nissan Altima
2013 Scion FR-S
2013 Subaru BRZ.
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Nytch, a Woodland-based company, was featured by CNN in an online guide that seeks to help small businesses navigate the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically, the guide named Nytch as one of the top solutions for small businesses and their shoppers to “get connected” to one another to keep local commerce going despite the unprecedented response.
The feature titled, “A Guide to Helping and Getting Help During the Coronavirus Crisis,” gives readers categorized help for navigating hardships right now.
The digital resource was published on the CNN website as part of their “Impact Your World” series which CNN describes as, “here to keep you informed on ways you can take action and share the stories of how people around the world are making an impact.” Moreover, the feature was published on CNN’s Facebook account, garnering hundreds of shares around the world.
Now, Nytch has seen a large increase in activity from both users and stores eager to join the platform following CNN’s piece.
“This recognition is a tremendous honor for us,” said Grant Lea, CEO of Nytch. “We started Nytch to give small businesses the tools to succeed in the age of the internet; we could not have imagined that it would be vital in times of a global pandemic.”
Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, Lea announced that Nytch would be available to all interested businesses free of charge. “It is the most important investment that we could make — small businesses stand behind us, and now it is our job to do the same for them.”
Nytch is a mobile app that allows users to easily make requests for items which are sent to local businesses. Through the app, participating businesses can provide their recommendation and expertise to help fulfill user needs.


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Following sudden on and off volatility of currencies across the region on Wednesday, the Rwanda central Bank has released its latest exchange rates in relation to the Rwandan franc.
For cross border traders in the East African Region, the performance of regional currencies remains an important factor in commerce.
According to Rwanda central Bank ; the Ugandan shilling is buying at 0.230549 and selling at 0.23516
The Kenyan shilling has been set at 8.321276(buying) and 8.487685 (selling)
The US dollar performance against the Rwandan Franc has been set at 842.959678 (buying) and 859.817168 (selling)


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PayPal makes no point out of crypto because it shifts enterprise priorities
PayPal went all in on crypto in 2021, constructing a pockets and touting large plans for each its Venmo and core funds unit. However the firm was conspicuously quiet about crypto on Tuesday—barely mentioning the know-how throughout its second quarter earnings name.
The earnings announcement was largely upbeat on information of a $15 billion inventory buyback program, and that activist investor Elliott Funding Administration was now one of its biggest shareholders. These developments, together with PayPal exceeding analyst expectations, noticed the share worth shoot up 14% in after hours buying and selling.
This was a welcome turnaround for shareholders as the corporate, struggling to take care of the momentum it loved through the pandemic, had misplaced 54% of its inventory worth because the begin of the yr.
PayPal’s Tuesday earnings additionally included the appointment of a new chief financial officer, however crypto was relegated to the background. In a information launch, the corporate did notice it has launched crypto transfers between PayPal and different wallets and exchanges and added no-fee ship and obtain to household and mates on PayPal within the U.S.
Crypto has been hammered to this point in 2022 with the most well-liked cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, down about 50% because the begin of the yr and the second-most widespread crypto, Ether, down about 55%. Though each cryptocurrencies have gotten a boost because the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by three quarters of a proportion level final week, the 2 hottest cryptocurrencies are down about 66% from their highs final November.
As a substitute of expounding on the corporate’s crypto technique, Schulman merely mentioned on the earnings name that “digital wallets are the long run,” including that the corporate is doubling down on this space of the enterprise, which was first introduced in 2021.
“We’re seeing some, actually, fairly a little bit of adoption, fairly a little bit of churn discount for many who are available. So we’ll proceed to take a position there,” he mentioned.
Regardless of the dearth of point out, a spokesperson for PayPal mentioned that the corporate’s stance on crypto hasn’t modified.
“Crypto continues to be a strategic precedence for PayPal and was talked about within the Strategic Initiatives & Enterprise Updates part of our launch as such,” the spokesperson informed Fortune in an e mail.
The emphasis on digital wallets is certainly one of three issues which have taken precedence as PayPal has in the reduction of in some areas like advertising and headcount and narrowed its focus—as Schulman emphasised on the earnings name. Moreover digital wallets, Schulman additionally highlighted two different areas of the enterprise as priorities: checkout, the core of PayPal’s enterprise, and Braintree which allows retailers to customise their purchasing carts and combine them with their very own platforms.
Schulman additionally mentioned the corporate was pulling again in different areas, together with a plan to supply inventory buying and selling on its platform that CNBC reported the company was exploring last year. The corporate created a division referred to as Make investments at PayPal final yr to spearhead the trouble, in response to CNBC, however on Tuesday, Schulman mentioned the corporate has modified its focus.
“We have been going to deal with Make investments this yr, like inventory buying and selling, that type of factor. We’re not going to try this,” Schulman mentioned. “We’ve reallocated these headcount into checkout, we’ve additionally been in a position to cut back headcount. We don’t have the identical regulatory footprint that we thought we’d have.”
Though PayPal has reaffirmed its dedication to crypto for now, it’s unclear whether or not the corporate’s shifting priorities and stress from the activist investor, Elliott, will change issues for crypto sooner or later.
PayPal reported second quarter income of $6.8 billion on Tuesday, barely greater than the $6.78 billion analysts anticipated, in response to Factset. It additionally got here in at $0.93 per share, exceeding the $0.87 that analysts anticipated. As of Wednesday, PayPal inventory was up about 9.7% at $98.40.
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Is your B2B business stuck in the old mentality of mailing print catalogues and sales information to customers? Well, that way of doing business may have another digital nail in its coffin:
The U.S. Postal Service may be forced to eliminate a day of mail service because the economic downturn has led to plummeting volume and revenue, the postmaster general said Wednesday.
Postmaster General John E. Potter, in testimony before a Senate subcommittee, warned of a possible worst-case scenario: eliminating the requirement to deliver mail six days a week to every address in America.
More businesses are bypassing the post office, and for good reason: it’s expensive and slow. In fact, Marc Andreessen recommends that print publications suspend their physical editions and force themselves to focus on their online properties. In a green-conscious world, such a move would help to protect the environment — junk mail reportedly
kills 2.6 million trees and produces 1 billion pounds of trash each year. But more importantly, B2B companies like trade publications can save large amounts of money — no paper, no ink, no printing presses, no page designers, no print-advertising departments, and so on. Obviously it costs far less to publish a website than a print publication. In addition, your B2B business can increase web traffic and advertising revenue by using cheap methods like SEO, PPC, and social media as well as Google Adsense and Adwords.
Most executives and managers are already beginning to realize this new paradigm. But do they realize that they can move all of their print media online? Think about it. Everything can be online in the modern, digital world: sales catalogues and brochures, sales-order paperwork, customer service, product specifications, and more. What, really, do you need to send in the mail anymore?


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If you've recently been fired from your job, Burger King wants to reward you with a free Whopper. Wait, what? Business Insider reports Burger King launched its "own your fire" promotion Tuesday and will send a "Whopper severance package" to the first 2,500 people who post the following message to their LinkedIn profile: “I got fired. I want a free Whopper. #whopperseverance.” Adweek notes it's "an odd bit of marketing" that requires some "mental gymnastics" to connect being fired from your job to the fire Burger King uses to grill its burgers.
“It has been said that when one door closes another one opens—in this case, a door for a delicious flame-grilled Whopper sandwich,” Consumerist quotes a Burger King statement explaining the promotion. “We know getting fired sucks, but getting a free Whopper doesn’t,” Burger King's global brand chief adds in an email to Adweek. It seems unlikely Burger King will be able to vet people's claims of having been fired or to disqualify people who were fired for behavior Burger King would prefer not to be associated with, such as sexual harassment or workplace violence. But a restaurant spokesperson says they believe applicants will get the "light-hearted nature of the idea." You have until Friday to let Burger King know you were dismissed from your job. (Read more Burger King stories.)


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- 12 Feb 24
To further celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album Moon Safari, Air announced a deluxe edition release alongside the addition of new live show dates at Trinity College Dublin in June.
After celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album last year, French electro-pop duo Air have announced a deluxe Moon Safari audio-video package to be released on March 8 via Parlophone/ Warner Music.
The album reissue is set to include a Spatial Dolby Atmos version of the original album including a handful of unreleased tracks and Mike Mill’s 1998 documentary ‘Eating Sleeping, Waiting & Playing,’ which details the band’s first world tour experience.
The reissue comes coupled with a highly anticipated European tour this February and March where the duo will play the iconic album in its entirety for the first time ever. After selling out each tour date in record time, Air have announced the addition of new dates spreading into late spring and summer, including an appearance at The Summer Series at Trinity College Dublin.
Air, made up of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, were catapulted into the electronic music scene following the album’s initial release in 1998, leaving an imprint on popular culture that has lasted decades.
“We were a duo doing some electronic thing, dreaming of selling 10,000 copies and being recognized by other musicians as cool,” said Dunckel. “Then suddenly, we met the world.”
Described by Dunckel as “a deep, universal spell, full of love and mystery,” Moon Safari has birthed hit singles like ‘Kelly Watch the Stars,’ ‘All I Need’ and ‘Sexy Boy,’ selling millions of copies around the world.
“To me,” said Godin, “Moon Safari is perfect.”
Ticket information for Air's additional tour dates can be found via www.airfrenchband.com
AIR PLAY MOON SAFARI:
May 30 London Royal Albert Hall - UK * on sale
June 14 Sonar Festival, Barcelona - Spain * on sale
June 24 Days Off Festival, Philharmonie De Paris - France * on sale March
July 21 Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin - Germany * on sale
July 23 Medastadt Open Air, Vienna - Austria * on sale
July 30 Summer Series at Trinity College Dublin – Ireland * on sale Feb.


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Valdosta encourages everyone to make Halloween more eco-friendly
VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Spooky season is here, not only for people but for the environment.
As South Georgians prepare for Halloween with loads of tasty candy and new costumes, City of Valdosta officials said there are ways to make this Halloween more eco-friendly.
Halloween candy wrappers can be a plastic nightmare when tossed out into the streets and they can cause pollution and harm wildlife.
Candy wrappers are made up of different materials, like plastic and aluminum. Those materials make it difficult for wrappers to be recycled.
Valdosta aims to make this year’s Halloween more sustainable, keeping the waters of the city healthy and debris-free.
“It’s really important not to throw your candy wrappers on the floor. I know once we got our little superheroes and princess all dressed up and we’re out the door, they’re in a hurry to eat their candy and they find a good piece and it’s easy to just dispose of it and throw it on the ground. But what people don’t always realize is that it actually ends up in our rivers and streams. That can harm our fish, turtles and alligators,” said Angela Bray, stormwater manager.
This year, when you’re out trick or treating, try to hold on to wrappers, making sure they don’t end up on the ground.
Trick or treat bags can also cause some issues. Plastic jack-o-lanterns may break and the plastic could find its way into landfills.
Instead, get creative. A reusable bag may be sturdier and can be saved for the next Halloween.
Dressing up is the best part, but a lot of costumes end up getting worn once and thrown out.
Instead of tossing it in the trash, this year, try donating it to a charity, or trade with family or friends.
Small changes like this can help make a big difference.
Copyright 2021 WALB. All rights reserved.


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Monday, 18th October 2021: The East African Business Council (EABC) and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and Afreximbank are set to launch the MANSA digital platform this Wednesday at Kampala Serena Hotel.
Speaking at the press conference during his courtesy visit to PSFU, Mr. John Bosco Kalisa said, “EABC and PSFU have partnered to enhance the level of preparedness for business in Uganda in order to ably access and expand to the regional and continental markets as a recovery strategy to build the economy back better amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Mr. Kalisa said capacity building and information sharing via the MANSA digital platform will enable companies and SMEs to easily access due diligence checks on their counterparts and trade confidently in the 1.2 billion continental market. He stated that Uganda’s export earnings from coffee boosted, supporting economic resilience. He elaborated that access to new markets for Uganda’s surplus production is vital for recovery and growth.
On his part, Mr. Francis Kisirinya, Ag. Executive Director of PSFU said “Registering into the Mansa platform is free of charge, this reduces the cost of doing due diligence in Uganda currently estimated at UGX.5 million. He stated that the MANSA digital platform is set to build trust and cut the transaction costs of trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Mr. Kisirinya said PSFU in collaboration with EABC is committed to fast-track vaccination of 4.8 million people by December 2021, boost investments in health and trade buoyant sectors, elimination of NTBs and expansion to new markets as a recovery tactic.
Mr. Fahadi Sensuwa, Head of MANSA Digital Initiatives said the Mansa Platform will attract more trade finance to Africa and support the transformation of SMEs growth into large enterprises.
He stated that the high cost of compliance and risk perception impacts access to finance for SMEs who form the backbone of our economies.
Mr. Kalisa said, applauded the EAC Heads of States for ratifying the AfCFTA and elaborated that the EAC bloc will start trading once the 90% tariff offer threshold is attained. “it is time for businesses to drive the African Continental Free Trade Area,” said Mr. Kalisa.
The MANSA digital platform provides a single primary source of Know-Your-Customer (KYC) data required to conduct customer diligence checks on counterparties in Africa with a special focus on African Corporates, SMEs and financial institutions.”
For more information visit:https://www.mansaafrica.com
Mr. John Bosco Kalisa Executive Director /Chief Executive Officer
East African Business Council (EABC)
9th Floor Mafao House | Old Moshi Road | Arusha | Tanzania
P. O. Box 2617 | Tel: +255 27 2520162
EABC – The Voice of the Private Sector in East Africa
About East African Business Council: The East African Business Council (EABC) is the regional apex body of private sector associations and Corporates from the 6 East African countries. It was established in 1997 to foster the interests of the private sector in the integration process of the East African Community. EABC vision is a borderless East Africa for business and investment. The primary mission is to promote sustainable private sector-driven growth in the EAC.


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Atul Auto Ltd has announced the launch of the new RIK CNG Passenger for the Gujarat market. RIK will be available in three fuel variants- CNG, LPG and Petrol.
According to one of India’s fastest growing 3-wheeler manufacturer, RIK platform was conceived after an extensive research keeping in mind the customer requirements both for the domestic and international markets.
Niraj Chandra, Director, Atul Auto Ltd. stated, “Small CNG auto rickshaw segment was waiting for a stylish and trendy product since many years. The style conscious customers prefer technology and style over traditional looks.”
He added: “We have introduced the RIK with a 360 degree approach, ensuring end to end solutions for the customers. By introducing RIK, we are sure to gain a good market share in 0.35T 3 wheeler industry.”
According to Jitendra Adhia, President, Finance, Atul Auto Ltd, “Atul Auto Ltd (AAL) will strongly back RIK CNG/LPG at all locations with Khushbu Auto Finance (KAFL), the NBFC associate concern of AAL along with other retail finance partners.”
Pushkar Sinha, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Atul Auto Ltd. stated, “The small and midsize segment alternative fuel is already showing strong growth indicators fuelled by rising diesel prices, pollution concerns and the opening up of Metros and suburban railways. Gujarat is our forte and we are targeting minimum 25 per cent market share”.
Atul RIK CNG comes with features like international styled beige dashboard, first ever LED tail lamps, semi digital Instrument cluster and stepless entry.
Also, the company offers “Atulya Vishwas” scheme. The RIK CNG/LPG variant comes with a 36 months (‘unlimited km’) super warranty.
Having a network reach of 120 plus touch points, Gujarat has always been a strong foot hold for the company. This matches the extensive CNG fuel network of Gujarat.
After April 2021, the company will start supplies of RIK -PAN India and in the international markets.
(With inputs from Automotive Lead Research Team)
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Based on a recent press release, HTC’s Fitness Grip Band gets postponed until later this year. The fitness gear, which was developed by the tech company in collaboration with Under Armour, will be part of a series of health and sports products, according to the company’s declaration.
HTC consumers have been waiting for the new fitness band ever since the company has first announced its release at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, a recent post on the company’s official website has informed customers that they will have to wait longer before they can actually purchase and use the sports gear.
HTC further stated that the Under Armour band will be released during the last months of the year as part of a larger series of health care products. The producer did not provide other details in relation to the product, but has nevertheless, reassured customers that they will receive many more notifications and information about the new fitness band as the launching date approaches.
Based on the recent announcement, it appears that the much-awaited Grip Band has been included in a trial program, so developers would improve its performance. Producers have reached the conclusion that it would be much more appropriate for the Grip Band to get launched simultaneously with their health and fitness portfolio.
HTC did not mention the exact release date of the new portfolio of products. They have only limited themselves to saying that it will be a state-of-art portfolio due to the advanced features that tech developers have added to their products.
HTC and Under Armour’s Fitness Grip Band is an advanced health gadget, according to tech savvies, who have managed to get their hands on the new device. It will be compatible with operating systems like Android 4.3, iOS 7 and older versions of the respective programs. The GPS-enabled fitness band was designed as a water, dust and shock resistant tool that monitors all the body functions during physical exercises.
The Grip Band will be provided with an 8MB or a 16MB storage capacity, the company has stated before. It will also have an improved battery life of up to 2.5 hours.
Image source: cdn.mos.techradar.com


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New waves of technology continue to change the way our society acts.
Canadians are beginning to move away from broadcast and cable television and transition to online Internet TV subscriptions.
Canadians are choosing to watch whole long-awaited seasons of their favorite TV shows on Netflix rather than waiting for weekly episodes.
The CRTC said telecom and cable companies received $8.92 billion in revenue from cable, satellite, and Internet enabled television subscriptions in 2015. On the other hand, the CRTC said television connections linked to web-distributed programming brought in $9.81 billion.
Jerry Chomyn, program head of Media Studies at the University of Guelph-Humber, believes Wi-Fi is the generational tool that made people change the way they use technology.
“I would say broadcast television only has 10 years left,” Chomyn said. “Once Wi-Fi became such a huge factor for everyone, anyone could nearly watch anything that they want to watch anywhere.
“Individuals have the access of watching anything anywhere, rather than waiting to have a TV cable box at home,” he said.
This era of television is slowly diminishing, according to some program consumers.
“I’m like everyone else, I’ve have been using television for most of my life, but after Netflix I felt that television was going to fall down soon,” Darren Puno, a Travel and Tourism student, said.
“Television is currently used for news, it’s for the elderly and people in their late ages who don’t have access to Internet,” Puno said. “I’m noticing more and more people in their 40s and 50s becoming more tech-savvy, so they will quickly adapt to the Internet streaming move.”
Adam Dell’Orso, Guelph-Humber Business student, knows new streaming services online will mean the end of broadcast television.
“I used to only use the TV for watching the latest sports game, and for the nightly news at 6,” Dell’Orso said. “Now for the past few months, I’ve been using online streaming sites to watch sports, and relying on Twitter for any breaking news.”
Dell’Orso knows more and more people are learning to adjust to the new lifestyle.
“My parents are the only ones that use cable TV, but I know many people their age learning more and more about online TV sites,” Dell’Orso said. “So I’m sure after their age group learns how to efficiently use online TV subscriptions that cable TV will only be used at retirement homes.”


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The UK will be the next country to get Google Wallet, following its US launch in October 2011, according to Les Echos. A pilot project involving both NFC payments and offers will begin in London in the first quarter of 2012, the French newspaper reports, with the aim of having the service live in time for the London 2012 Olympics this summer.
- Canadian credit unions go live with Mobile Pay
- NAB uses HCE for instant card replacement
- Nordic banks sign up to HCE mobile payments with Nets
- NXP adds more powerful NFC controller and developer kits
- Starwood expands keyless entry to hotels worldwide


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Alleged images of HTC M8, a successor to HTC One flagship have leaked online. ePrice Taiwan has posted these images showing the metal back panel of the phone in Blue color. HTC M7 was the codename company used for this year’s flagship smartphone, the HTC One. Considering this, HTC M8 is expected to be the next year’s star from the Taiwanese smartphone maker.
It looks a lot like its predecessor but will not be carrying the Beats Audio technology due to an issue between both the companies.
The alleged photos of the HTC M8 shows that the next flagship phone from HTC will look radically similar to the HTC One and it’s all other siblings. The authenticity of these pictures could not be verified at the moment, even the source also seems to be slightly skeptical about them. So, as of now, take this news with a pinch of salt only.
The next flagship from HTC is rumored to pack Qualcomm’s Snapdragon quad-core 800 chipset along with 3GB of RAM to deliver smooth processing. It is also expected to arrive with HTC Sense 6.0 user-interface. Previous reports suggest that HTC M8 will be featuring a 5 or 5.2-inch HD display. It is also reported to feature finger print sensor, but its position will not be same as the recently launched HTC One Max
The touch sensor is reportedly placed at the top of the back panel instead below the rear camera. It is expected to be announced at the MWC 2014. Other details regarding the phone are still a mystery at this point.


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WASHINGTON -- Automakers and dealers helped launch a campaign on Monday, Aug. 18, aimed at reducing fuel use by persuading consumers to drive smarter and take better care of their vehicles.
The campaign, called EcoDriving, was unveiled in an online announcement by industry leaders and two state governors, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Democrat Bill Ritter of Colorado.
A key feature of the new campaign is an interactive Web site, www.EcoDrivingUSA.com. The site offers consumers tips on how to drive and maintain vehicles so that they use less fuel.
In a related measure, the National Automobile Dealers Association said it is encouraging dealers to offer free vehicle checkups in September. Many dealers will link the green checkups with free child safety seat inspections, said NADA Chairman Annette Sykora, a Texas dealer. Sykora took part in the EcoDriving announcement.
Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said a typical motorist who follows the driving and maintenance tips offered by the campaign will improve fuel economy by about 15 percent. The alliance represents the Detroit 3, Toyota and six other automakers.
Sykora and McCurdy said they want consumers to buy new, more fuel-efficient vehicles. But until they do, they said, better driving practices and vehicle maintenance can cut fuel use, energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions for 245 million cars and trucks now on the road.


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Akron’s fuel prices lower
The cost for a gallon of regular gasoline shot up a couple of days in the Akron area.
But the average price per gallon remains below levels a year ago in the Akron area as well as for the rest of Ohio and the nation at large.
The average price for a gallon of regular in the Akron metro area was $3.58 on Tuesday, down from $3.60 on Monday and up from $3.42 a month ago, according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report website. The cost per gallon a year ago was $3.65.
The average Ohio price per gallon of regular on Tuesday was $3.63, up from $3.41 a month ago and down from $3.67 a year ago.
The national average was $3.52 a gallon, up from $3.35 a month ago and down from $3.69 a year ago.
Akron-area gasoline prices were falling on Tuesday, according to gasbuddy.com, an online site that relies on people to report prices at service stations. Prices on Tuesday ranged from lows of $3.29 a gallon in the Hartville area to highs of $3.75 to $3.79 in the Akron area.
FirstEnergy posts dividend
FirstEnergy Corp. [NYSE: FE] declared an unchanged quarterly dividend of 36 cents a share, payable June 1 to shareholders of record as of May 7.
In January, the Akron-headquartered utility’s board of directors slashed the company’s quarterly dividend, payable March 1, to 36 cents a share. That’s down from the 55 cents a share the company had paid since 2008.
FirstEnergy Chief Executive Officer Anthony Alexander said in a news release in January that the new rate will provide “additional financial flexibility to pursue regulated growth opportunities over the next several years.” Alexander said in a conference call with investors that “the company has suffered from a multiyear economic downturn.”
Android adds watches
Google Inc. is bringing its Android software to smartwatches, working with manufacturers and chipmakers to further its push into connected devices.
The company introduced “Android Wear,” a project to extend the Android operating system to wearable gadgets including watches.
Cheaper iPhone on sale
Apple Inc. is selling a new, cheaper version of the iPhone 5c with less memory in the U.K., France, Germany, Australia and China.
The latest iPhone 5c has 8 gigabytes and is priced at $712 without a contract,
Walmart to expand games
Walmart plans to expand its video game trade-in program to its stores, offering store credit for thousands of video games.
The world’s largest retailer plans to let video game owners trade in used video games online and in Walmart stores for store credit but not cash.
Mobile pay at Burger King
Burger King Worldwide Inc., the second-biggest U.S. burger chain by store count, is introducing an application that will allow customers to pay for Whoppers with their smartphones as it races rivals to woo younger diners.
The program will be introduced next month and should be in all of Burger King’s more than 7,000 U.S. locations in “a few months.”
Dow Jones rises 89 points
Stocks rose Tuesday after some encouraging news on housing and on hopes that the conflict between Russia and the West wouldn’t escalate further after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said the country won’t take over other areas of Ukraine.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 88.97 points, or 0.6 percent, to 16,336.19.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 13.42 points, or 0.7 percent, to 1,872.25.
The Nasdaq composite gained 53.36 points, or 1.3 percent, to 4,333.31.
For the year, the Dow is down 240.47 points, or 1.5 percent. The S&P 500 is up 23.89 points, or 1.3 percent. The Nasdaq is up 156.72 points, or 3.8 percent.
Compiled from staff and wire reports.


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Online giant Amazon , will work with technology giant Microsoft to study coronavirus infection prevention. Researchers at the Gates Foundation-backed Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network (SCAN) have recently been researching how coronavirus infection is occurring. They are conducting the study with a kit from the residents of Seattle-based King County. Amazon will work with them now. Already Amazon Care is helping distribute this kit.
King County is one of the areas where coronavirus is most prevalent in the United States. Many people are infected with coronavirus here.
SCAN is a research group working on the spread of coronavirus infection in different parts of the area. Bill Gates is funding the project to create a ‘kit’ for use in this experiment. The coronavirus can be tested at home with that kit. However, samples should be sent out to find out the results.
Amazon Care’s job will be to provide test kits to people’s homes and then bring the samples to the researchers. If any of the viruses are detected after the test, they will be contacted by healthcare professionals through Amazon Care representatives.
An Amazon spokesperson said Amazon Care’s infrastructure and logistics capabilities have been enhanced to support this local effort.
Recently the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the research charity Wellcome and MasterCard’s Impact Charity, pledged $120.5 million in support of coronavirus treatment.


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Serbian Inflation Climbs in January
Photo by Robert Petrovic / Shutterstock.com
Serbia's consumer prices rose by 15.8% year-on-year in January, after increasing by 15.1% the month before, the Belgrade-based Serbian Statistical Office (RBS) said on Monday.
The biggest price increases in annual terms were observed in the sector of food and non-alcoholic beverages, of 23.7%, followed by housing, water and energy (23%) and restaurants and hotels (22.1%).
On the other hand, inflation eased for transportation (7.5% vs 9.2%).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices jumped by 1.4% in January from the 0.5% increase in the previous month.
On month, prices of housing, water, and energy rose the most by 3.5% in January.
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Remember the days when pickup trucks were judged — and marketed — based on horsepower and towing capacity? Back then, a whole five to 10 years ago, each model year brought the latest attack or counterattack as truck builders rolled out their latest models with a few more horses than the year before.
Those were the days when Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. were each selling well over 500,000 pickups annually and fuel economy was low on the priority list for most truck buyers. Today, however, customers care a lot more about miles per gallon, which is why Ford is touting its new F-150 for its 23-mph fuel-economy in highway driving.
“Seventy percent of F-150 customers said better fuel economy is what they’d like improved most in their truck,” said Doug Scott, Truck Group marketing manager. “The 2011 Ford F-150 does exactly that with best-in-class fuel economy, best-in-class capability and power, and more powertrain choices to suit their different needs.”
It’s true that the Ford’s fuel-economy figure, which still has to be certified by the Environmental Protection Agency before becoming official, is impressive. But it really is just another small step ahead of its rivals. Chrysler is planning to replace the V6 it offers in its Ram pickups in a year or two.
Chevrolet says its V8-powered Silverado XFE, a special full-size pickup model modified for better fuel economy, gets 15 miles per gallon in the city and 22 on the highway — within one mile per gallon of Ford’s claimed fuel economy. The Silverado Hybrid, a Chevrolet spokesman says, outdoes the Ford with a 20/23 mileage rating. But the hybrid is far from a mainstream, volume seller.
While fuel economy is becoming a stronger marketing tool, there’s a bigger reason for car makers to pursue even tiny improvements in efficiency. As federal fuel-economy requirements become more stringent, each company’s corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE ratings will have to improve significantly. Since trucks will probably continue to be big sellers, it is in some ways more important to improve their fuel economy than that of lower-volume models like subcompacts and mid-size hybrids.


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In an effort to prove that it hasn’t forgotten about Dre—er, about its loyal user base, Nokia announced that it’s officially rolling out the anticipated Lumia Black update for its line of Windows Phones. The update will begin with the Lumia 1020 and Lumia 925, and then roll out to other Lumia models later on.
Black comes chock full of features like app folders, compatibility for Bluetooth LE, and Nokia’s Glance screen 2.0, which constantly displays low-energy notifications on screen so you can check to see what’s happening without even having to unlock your phone.
Nokia has also bundled up its new suite of camera apps, including Nokia Refocus, Nokia Storyteller, and the revamped Nokia Camera that combines the Nokia Pro Camera and Smart Camera in one. Lumia 1020 users will also have raw DNG support, which should prove extremely helpful for serious camera phone photographers and Instagram fanatics (especially now that it exists!).
The software update will begin deployment in China first, with the US and all others soon to follow. You can check out the status of the roll out for your phone with this handy update page from Nokia.


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Hunting licenses in City of Canandaigua crosshairs
Next year, hunters seeking to renew their licenses may have to look elsewhere, as the city is looking to discontinue sale of hunting, fishing, and sporting licenses.
City Manager Kay James said the proposal stemmed from the clerk’s office, which lost half a position last year.
“It has become more of a demand on the staff and more of a burden to have to do it,” James said.
And providing the service isn’t a revenue driver for the city.
“Last year, we sent the state $22,000 in fees we collected on their behalf,” she said. “We were only able to retain $700 for all that work.”
Instead of going to City Hall, those looking to purchase sporting licenses starting Jan. 1 will have other options if the city discontinues the service.
Stores like Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, and Dick’s Sporting Goods can issue licenses, James said.
Mike Price, owner of Heritage Outdoor Sports, at 1886 Melvin Hill Road in Phelps, agrees.
“If City Hall stops selling them, Walmart is within driving distance,” Price said.
“There’s plenty of places to go, so people shouldn’t be too upset.”
In addition to getting a license at a sporting goods store or a retail outlet, licenses are available online through the state
Department of Environmental Conservation at www. dec.ny.gov.
City Council is expected to vote on the matter at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at City Hall, 2 N. Main St.


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Liverpool unveil new kit - but will Sterling be in it next season?
Liverpool have unveiled their home kit for the 2015/16 season.
Featuring New Balance as kit sponsor for the first time, the new shirt was revealed at Anfield in front of more than 1,000 supporters, according to the club's official website.
The US company assumed the sponsorship of Liverpool's iconic red shirt from subsidiary brand Warrior in a club record deal that was announced in February.
The Reds will certainly be hoping the simple yet elegant gingham design will inspire the club to greater heights next season.
Several Liverpool players were called upon to model the new kit, including forward Raheem Sterling.
The 20-year-old, who has been under fire from Liverpool fans for stalling on signing a new contract, was heckled during the presentation.
While Sterling received cheers when he made his appearance, one disgruntled fan interrupted his interview on the kit, shouting: "Make sure we see you in it next year."
Speaking to the BBC despite not having club approval, the England international stated that he was driven by ambition rather than money, causing several top clubs to take interest in his situation.


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Lulu Yilun Chen
Alibaba Group has recorded 10 billion yuan of sales volume in the minutes of its annual Singles Day extravagance, surpassing last year's start, as buyers across the globe have crowned e-commerce online retailers.
China is the biggest company attempting to infect the business through a simultaneous television entertainment spectacle in which Cirque du Soleil and Mariah Carey reported that Xiaomi, Apple, and Dyson were the first three in early sales.
The annual retail celebration, originally devoted to the national incompatibility, has become an important bell tower not only for the company but also for the country. This year's gala on November 11 offers insight into consumer attitudes in China as US tensions, and the tactical tariff war hits the capital markets and threatens to dampen the world's economy by number two.
However, Alibaba intends to bridge the growth of 39 percent in 2017 and 168 billion yuan in transactions, in combination with Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
A terrible run
The challenge for billionaire Jacko Ma and his lieutenant Daniel Zhanga is to speed up another record after a fierce decade. With cooling, saturated markets and competition from smaller platforms such as JD.com Inc. and Pinduoduo, Alibaba is now looking for new growth engines.
"Alibaba uses all of its platforms to make Individual Day a holiday that includes dining and entertainment," said Jet Jing, president of Tmall, one of the company's major companies, on a day-to-day day. "We're connecting a network purchase with offline physical sockets".
An individual day was the idea of co-founder Ma and Zhang, who came to the idea that over the past decade the counter-cultural vacation turned into a shopfest. First popularized by students, November 11, they emerged as an anti-sentimental sentiment of Valentine's Day. His name comes from the manner in which the day is written as numeral 11/11, which resembles "naked branches", a local term for unrelated. Now it has become an excuse for people to buy, eat and entertain entertainment shows.
It has become so huge that packaging waste – Alibaba expects billions of packages to be delivered this year – and potential environmental damage remains problematic.
The Chief Executive Officer, who will assume the Chairman of the Retirement for the next year, must prove that he can continue with this legacy. Its headquarter in Hangzhou also uses the opportunity to test the boundaries of its forms of processing, delivery and payment in the cloud.
However, this year there is some uncertainty as trade tariffs and the deflation of property values threaten the deterioration of economic growth. China's online retail growth slowed to 24 percent in the third quarter, by 12 percentage points over the previous three months, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.
It's been three years since Ma said he wanted Singles Day to be a global phenomenon, but that did not happen. International expansion will be a key part of Zhang's efforts to keep track of records. Last year, the first three non-Chinese single-day markets were Russia, tiny Hong Kong and the US – in that order. Popular items bought abroad include mobile phones, woolen coats, and knitted dresses.
At the same time, Alibab's efforts to push into the United States are spraying. He declined his efforts to create a million jobs in the country, lost his top American dealmaker, and rejected plans for affiliate Ant Financial to earn MoneyGram. US President Donald Trump said in mid-October that he plans to withdraw from the 192-nation deal that companies in China provide retail price reductions for small packets sent to US consumers, which is making it even harder for Chinese merchants to market.
South-East Asia will give the clearest indication of Alibaba's ability to go globally. With Lazad, headquartered in Singapore, now fully under the wing, the region is still one of the relative bright spots of the company, focusing on the slowdown in China's growth and the turmoil triggered by the growing trade war.


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Blackview BV9900 Pro – $422.84 at AliExpress
While you wait for Blackview’s new 5G model, check out the BV9900 Pro, which combines a FLIR Lepton thermal sensor with a bargain price tag.View Deal
Challenger rugged smartphone brand Blackview will launch the campaign for its first 5G smartphone within the next few weeks on Indiegogo, which is rapidly turning into the preferred battleground for guerilla style, low cost marketing campaigns.
The BL6000 Pro owes its name to the 2016 BV6000, the company’s first successful foray into rugged smartphones, but will prove to be a different beast entirely with 5G connectivity baked in.
Based on the MediaTek Dimensity 800, it also features 8GB of RAM and 256GB onboard storage (hopefully UFS) with a triple rear camera setup that includes a 48-megapixel AI camera – likely to be the same as on the BV9900 Pro.
Add in a 5,280mAh battery and IP68, IP69K and MIL-STD-810G certification out of the box and you have a pretty convincing all-terrain smartphone that will prove to be a tough nut to crack.
The BL6000 Pro will face stiff competition from the Ulefone Armor 8, also down for a November launch, which has roughly the same configuration and costs around $600.


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Sure, pets are cute but they also can cost a pretty penny. Between food, trips to the vet, cages, and licenses, the cost of having a pet adds up.
We've identified the total costs of owning pets, using ASPCA data collected at Visual Economics.
11 years of dog food really adds up.
A Tesla bull makes his case: 'We think it's real .... it's a good car. That's not a fluke'
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MoneyControl.com is reporting today via unnamed sources that the basis of the legal battle between Indian light truck manufacturer, Mahindra & Mahindra, and their US importer, Global Vehicles USA (GV), is due to Mahindra’s desire to control US distribution through their existing tractor distributor, Mahindra USA.
Mahindra has not commented on missing multiple US launch dates for the highly anticipated 30 mpg diesel pickup trucks. GV has initiated legal action against the Indian conglomerate, claiming they have purposely delayed the launch, in hopes that further delays may be mitigated. Mahindra has since countered GV’s accusations by claiming that the suit has no solid basis, in spite of Mahindra not filing required EPA documentation in order to sell their vehicles in the United States.
The report claims that Mahindra wanted to buy out Global Vehicles, but that an accord could not be reached, resulting in legal arbitration. The report goes on to state that Mahindra now desires to use their existing US tractor enterprise, Mahindra USA, to control import and distribution of the pickup trucks.
The article also states that Mahindra still intends to launch the US versions of the pickup before the end of 2010.
The report is found here: M&M, Global Vehicles in legal tussle over entry in US
Thanks for the tip, PeeWee.


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Bell Helicopter and video game giant Electronic Arts are embroiled in a legal battle in a California federal court over whether EA can use images of the V-22 Osprey and other Bell-made aircraft in a popular video game.
Bell’s parent company, Textron Inc., is asking a federal judge to decide whether EA’s depictions of the V-22, the UH-1Y and the AH-1Z attack copter in “Battlefield 3” violate Bell’s trademark protections.
Attorneys for Bell, which assembles the Osprey and the other aircraft at its Amarillo facility, sent EA a cease-and-
desist letter Dec. 21, demanding the video game company stop using the copters’ images or face litigation, according to federal court records.
According to the Jan. 6 complaint, EA’s attorney said both parties have been unable to resolve their dispute. The attorneys want the judge to rule that “Battlefield 3” is an expressive work protected by the First Amendment that does not infringe on Textron’s trademarks, the complaint said.
“Nothing in or related to the game contains any indication that Bell and/or Textron endorses the game or has had a role in producing it,” the complaint said. “Following Textron’s recent conduct, EA is faced with the choice of either abandoning its rights to develop, publish and all its expressive work or risking liability for damages.”
Lawyers for the video game company said Bell’s cease-and-desist letter portends upcoming legal action.
“EA therefore has a reasonable and strong apprehension that it will soon face a trademark and/or trade dress action from Textron,” EA’s complaint said.
Bell spokesman William Schroeder declined to comment Tuesday.
“Bell Helicopter does not comment on ongoing legal matters,” he said.
Federal court records show Textron officials were served with EA’s complaint Jan. 9. No response has been filed, records show.
Mark A. Lemley, a Stanford Law School professor, said copyright laws are supposed to prevent consumer confusion, which is not in jeopardy in
“In my view, this is a classic example of overreaching by the trademark owner Bell/Textron,” Lemley said. “There is no chance whatsoever that consumers will think Bell made the EA game because its helicopters are depicted in it.”
Lemley, who focuses on intellectual property law, said the Textron’s allegations are baseless in court.
“Bell is trying to get paid simply because its products are depicted, and the law doesn’t permit that,” Lemley said.